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Mining Physician Ranks
by Valerie lauer
�o� Hospita� Leaders
tRansitioning fRom clinical Roles into hosPital aDministRation RequiRes not only significant time
anD effoRt but also skills that aRe not tRaDitionally PaRt of Physician tRaining, eXPeRts say.
R
eSearCh PuBliShed BY Social Science
& Medicine in 2011 suggests the nation's
top hospitals may be those that embrace
clinician oversight. The researchers did
not claim to have established causation between
physician leadership and high levels of performance
by hospitals. However, the findings suggest physicians should be viewed along with professionals
from business or other educational backgrounds
as potential sources of effective leadership.
Same goal, different approaches
The paths available to physicians seeking to become leaders in their hospitals are
wide-ranging.
Some physicians desire master's degrees in
public health, business or healthcare administration, notes Peter Angood, MD, FRCS(C), FACS,
FCCM, CEO of the American College of Physician
Executives (ACPE). But "not everyone needs or
wants that," he adds, and pursuing education
full time may not be feasible for busy physicians.
Therefore, groups such as ACPE and other
institutions offer a full spectrum of learning
opportunities, including fast-track executive MBA
programs, individual courses, certificates and
distance learning options that allow physicians
to hone leadership skills without leaving their
homes or offices.
For example, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health's Master of Public
Health degree is offered both in a part-time,
online format and as a concentrated, full-time,
11-month program.
a Broad Skill Set
For physicians who want to move into administrative leadership, developing skills that differ
substantially from those required in patient care
is key, says James K. Stoller, MD, MS, Chairman
of the Education Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.
"It is often felt that clinical competence or
scientific prowess is the criteria for leadership
success," Dr. Stoller says. However, he adds,
leadership also depends on traits such as
emotional intelligence as well as the ability to
negotiate, resolve conflicts, promote teamwork
and think strategically.
"These are competencies we believe are
essential for healthcare leadership, and they
can be taught," Dr. Stoller says, noting the
range of leadership education opportunities
offered by the Cleveland Clinic Academy and
by business schools, professional societies and
other organizations.
an organizational responsibility
But developing physician leaders is not the
responsibility solely of practitioners, Dr. Stoller
says. The hospital culture must also value physicians' potential for leadership. In addition to
offering accessible curriculum, hospitals should
provide mentorship from senior staff and create
opportunities for physician leaders in training
to demonstrate their capabilities in positions of
increasing responsibility and authority.
That "experiential piece" is crucial, according
to Dr. Stoller. It gives physicians the opportunity
to exercise their expanding administrative skills
and allows healthcare organizations to assess the
physicians' progress.
However, he says, none of that happens by
accident. Fostering physician leadership is a
conscious, step-by-step process for both physicians and hospitals.
"That requires commitment," says Dr. Stoller. ■
MdNewS.CoM ■ MD
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